Lubricating oil



Patented Mar. 13, 1923.

UNITED [STATES EDWARD GOODRICH A CHESON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LUBRICATING OIL.

1T0 Drawing.

To (11? whom/it may concern.

Be it known that I, EDW'ARD G. ACHESON,

a citizen of the United States, residing at New York. in the county ofNew York and State of New York. have .invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Lubricating Oils, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a novel lubricating oil having the essentialand characteristic lubricating properties of an unfiltered oildistillateof lubricating grade, but modified or standardized as to color andappearance by the addition thereto of a deflocculated or colloidal solidmaterial which does not substantially affect the lubricating propertiesof the oil. The invention relates also to the method whereby the novellubricating oil is prepared.

As is well known to those familiar with this art, the manufacture of theso-called high-grade lubricating oils involves a number of relativelycostly and at times troublesome, difficult and wasteful process stepsand treatments which follow the condensation and recovery of the rawdistillate of lubricating grade. While these treatments may varysomewhat in accordance with the practice of individual producers, all ofthem, so far as I am aware. include a treatment of the raw distillate(by which term I designate the condensate of lubricating grade asderived from the stills) with sulfuric acid, followed by neutralizationwith caustic soda and an elaborate washing process; and a so-calledfiltration which is in effect a treatment with fullers earth orequivalent decolorizing agent.

Comparative studies of the true lubricating value of the oil at thevarious stages of its manufacture have shown that in many cases at leastthe lubricating value of the original crude distillate is verymaterially in excess of that of the filtered oil which is distributed tothe consumer. Also, so far as I am aware, the actual effect of theso-called filtration, or fullers earth treatment, is in practicallyevery case to bring about a decided and material diminution of thelubrieating value of the oil, owing to the removal of constituents,presumably colloidal in nature, which contribute to the production andproper maintenance of the most desirable lubricating film.

The primary purpose and effect of the treatment steps to which the crudedistillate Application filed August 28, 1919. Serial No. 320,519.

is subjected in the current manufacturing operations, is therefore toimprove the color and appearance of the oil, and to some ex tent toimprove its odor. So far as the filtering operation is concerned,practically its only purpose and effect is to improve the appearance ofthe oil, and to produce a bright oil of light color, which is commonlyalt-ho of course erroneously, believed to be free from carbon and henceless liable to 'lead to carbonization difficulties when used in internalcombustion motors.

A primary object of the present invention is to produce a salableproduct having a standardized and attractive color and appearance, whileretaining to the fullest degree the essential and characteristiclubricating qualities of the unfiltered distillate, or of the rawdistillate in those cases in which the lubricating value of the rawdistillate is equal to or greater than that of the refined distillate.In other words, in accordance with this invention the treatment of theoil does not enhance the lubricating value, a

minute proportion of a deflocculated solid body. For example lamp-blackgas-black, or other form of amorphous carbon, deflocculated ortransformed to the colloidal state by treatment with tannin or itsequivalents in accordance with methods described in my prior patents andnow well understood in the art, and thereafter suspended in theunfiltered distillate in proportions amounting to only a few thousandthsof one per cent by weight of the distillate, imparts to the oil,irrespective of its original color, a uniform black appearance, opaqueby reflected light, although semi-transparent or translucent bytransmitted light when the proportion of deflocculated lamp black issufficiently small. Other effects may be obtained by a choice of otherdeflocculated solids, among which I may mention clay, graphite, aluminumpowder of the kind used for aluminum paints, etc. The proportion of suchdeflocculated bodies required to standardize the appearance of thedistillates is so very -minute (seldom exceeding 0.1% by weight ofdistillate and often as low as 0.005% that it is not necessary as a ruleto consider Whether the solid material is in itself a lubricant,although a substance of lubricating qualities, such for example asgraphite, will naturally be preferred in many cases.

The present invention is specifically distinguished from that of myprior patents relating to the improvement of the lubricating qualitiesof oils by the suspension therein of deflocculated graphite, in that itcontemplates the employment of deflocculated solids irrespective oftheir lubricating qualities, added to the unfiltered distillate in suchproportions as will not materially modify the characteristic lubricatingqualities of the distillate.

I claim:

1. A lubricating oil having the composition and essentialcharacteristics of unfiltered distillate of lubricating grade, .and astandardized color and appearance due to the addition thereto of aminute proportion of a deflocculated body.

2. A lubricating oil having the composition and essentialcharacteristics of unfiltered distillate of lubricating grade, and astandardized black color and appearance tion and essentialcharacteristics of unfil tered distillate of lubricating grade, and astandardized color and appearance due to the addition thereto of adeflocculated carbon in proportion not exceeding 0.1% by weight of the,oil.

5. Method of standardizing distillates of lubricating grade containingconstituents removable by filtration, comprising adding thereto adefiocculated body in minute proportion.

6. Method of standardizing distillates of lubricating grade containingconstituents removable -by filtration, comprising adding thereto adeflocculated body in proportion not exceeding 0.1% by weight of theoil.

In testimon whereof, I aflix my signature.

EDWAR GOODRIO'H ACHESON.

